Elevating



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

S. LEE 8: R. WEIR. ELEVATING MACHINE FOR CROSS FILING LUMBER.

N0. 288,073. v Patented Nov. 6, I883.

u. Parana MID- imam val-name. ac

(No Model) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

, v s. LEE & R. WEIR. BLEVATING MACHINE 'FOB GROSS FILING LUMBER. No. 288,073.] Patented Nov. 6, 1883.

. bin: a s n T-HezL- i niran'r Genres.

nun ROBERT wars, on truskneomorrcnrcnn.

" ELEy TII A I EFoe CROSS-FILING LUMBER.

, srncrrrcnrronrogmin ar "of Letters Patent No. esaove, dated November c, 1883, 1

Application filed-May 12,1883. (No model.)

To alt whom it may concern:

Be it known that we. SETH LEE, a citizen I of the United States, and ROBERT- WEIR, a sub ject of the Queen of Great Brita-in, both residing at Muskegon, in the county of Muskegon and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and usefullmprotenients in Elevating- Machines for Gross-Piling Lumber; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The objectof this invention is, first, t facilitate. the piling of lumber to any desired height by means of endless chains, on which are fastened at convenient distances apart teeth or hooks. On these hooks the lumber is placed and carried upward and close to the face of the pile by the rotation of the chain-wheels below; second, to facilitate. the lowering of V lumber by its own weight; third, to provide means for dispensing with the use of scaffolding in the building up or taking down of a lumber-pile.

vation of the same.

Our invention consists in the arrangement and constructionof devices composing the carrying-chains and in their connection with other parts of the machine, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and specifically pointed out in Q i the claims.

Figure 1 of the drawings is'a side elevation of the entire machine. Fig. 2 is a front ele- Fig. 3 is a plan view as it appears with the elevated frame and chains Fig. 5 is a front and side view of that portion removed. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the top frame for carrying the. upper chain-wheels.

of the chain constituting the hooks. Fig. 6 is A represents the main body of the bottom frame, which may be of wood, but is preferably made of iron. This frame is securely fastened together by stanchions a a.

B represents the four standards of the ele vated frame-work, which is composed of angle-iron or other suitable material, and b are jdiagonal braces bolted or riveted to the angle irons on all four sides. O are two end pieces for carrying the bearfings for the upper chain-wheel shaft. These pieces project some distance above the chainfwheels, and are for the purpose of stopping the "progress of the chains in event of the lumberbeing carried to the top. To each side of the end pieces, (his securely fastened the plates o. This constitutes the top frame.

D D are the chain-wheels at top and bottom bf the machine, and are the means by which the endless chains E E are raised andlowered;

' d d are sliding boxes, which carry the upper fchain-wheel shaft, and can be raised or lowered by the screw beneath. (See Fig. 1.) Theobject of this is to allow the chains to be tightfeued to their proper tension. V The two ends of the top frame, 0 a, (see Fig. 4,) are beveled toward the back of the ma chine, the object of this being that while the chains are traveling up the front of the machine they are directlyin front of the two front standards, B, and while returning down the back they clear the elevated portion of the frame-work. The upperends of thefour standards B are fastened to the top frame, 0, at each corner, and at their lower ends to lugs forming part of the main frame A. v

E represents the chains, on which at suitable distances apart "are placed the hooks e e, having braces F F. Fig. 5 shows an enlarged view of the construction of these hooks. The chain proper can be made either a solid link or it may be constructed with two side links riveted together. The upper portion of the hook is made in one piece and riveted at both sides of the main chain at the lugs f. The brace F is also made in one piece and riveted to the following link at both sides, and also to the center of the upper part, c. This mode of construction enables the upper part, e, to be firmly supported, and by means of the joints f allows thechain to lap properly while revolving round the wheels. G G are the four main wheels of the machine for conveying it from one place to another. The two front wheels are placed inside of V the main frame, andrevol've on a shaft stretching across the machine, while the two back wheels. revolve 10o on an axle, 9, provided with .a ring for the purpose of allowing the wheels to be partially turned in below the main frame when in the act of moving the machine from one place to another.

H represents a series of gear-wheels operated by the handles M, and are so arranged that considerable power is imparted to the chain- Wheels D of the device. On the rear shaft, 9, two of the largest gears and the two chain-. wheels are securely fastened.

I is a brake-wheel fastened to the drivingshaft. Over this wheel a brake-strap, i, is placed. One end of this strap is fastened to lugs on the box K by a bolt, the other end passing through the rod j, and being fastened beneathby a nut. is is the foot-lever for op erating this device, and is fastened to the main frame at one end and to the rod j near the center of the machine. The object of this brake is toregulate the speed of the chains while lowering lumber.

The rod j is also pivoted to the box K and swings loose.

K is an iron box bolted securely to the frame A and provided on the under side with a ring, corresponding with the ring on the axle g. The inside of this box is provided with aboss, through which passes a hole. A collar-bolt, passing from the under side of the box, is fastened on top of this boss by a nut. The lower end of this collar-bolt constitutes apin,whichpasses through the axle 9, thereby keeping the back wheels in position by allowing the axle to turn thereon. In the box K can be placed weights,

if necessary, when operating heavy lumber.

L is the table on which the lumber is placed. This table swings loose on the stanchion a, and is provided near the bottom of the legs .With a rod to facilitate the moving of the mathe pile is finished. Although the drawings chine for access to and from the top of the piles.

O representsa side elevation of lumber when show the machine as worked by hand we do not confine ourselves to this form of propulsion. Steam, air, water, horse, or any other kind of power may be substituted to take the place of hand driving-gear.

Having thus described our invention, We claim.

1. The chains E E, having hooks e e, in combination with the chain-wheels D, frame A, wheels G, gearing H, brake-wheel I, box K, and table L, substantially as set forth. i

2. The chains E E, provided with hooks e e, as described, in combination with the vertical standards B, braces 12, frame (1, and ladder N, as specified. 65

3. The frame A, in combination wit-h the vertical standards B, braces 12, chains E E, and wheels D, as shown and described.

4. The hooks e and braces F, having lugs and pins f, in combination with the chain E, as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

SETH LEE. ROBERT WEIR.

-"WVitnesses:

F. G. TRUESDELL,

ALFRED W. WYLIE. 

